Soul Mates Chapter 1
by ladypatpatriot
Summary: After their heart to heart in the mine, Jack proposes first. How will Charles and Elizabeth's parents react?
1. Chapter 1

Jack walked out of the mercantile with a small box in his pocket. It was the engagement ring he bought for Elizabeth. He had been in love with her for a long time and he suspected she was in love with him for just as long. They confirmed their love for each other just a few days ago when they were in the mine looking for Rip. He thought back to the conversation. With tears in his eyes, he finally confessed his true feelings. He wasn't sure what she would say, especially after she told him she was afraid of him dying. His heart stopped beating for just a fraction of a second while he waited for her response. _**I love you, too**_. She had replied, tears shining in her eyes too, along with the love she felt for him. He leaned over and kissed her, knowing in his heart that she would one day be his wife.

He knew he should walk back to the jail and get some work done but his mind was on his Sweetheart, his Elizabeth. He had this idea in his mind to take her out to the land he wanted to purchase for their home in a couple of days and propose to her there. Now that he had the ring in his pocket, he decided he didn't want to wait. It was Saturday and it was a beautiful day out. He decided to go see if Elizabeth would like to go on a picnic with him and maybe later they could go see the land. He made his way to the café. He walked in the back door to the kitchen and found Abigail hard at work at the stove.

"Good Morning, Abigail." He greeted.

"Good Morning to you too, Jack. What brings you by as if I don't know?" She grinned at him. "Elizabeth is in her room working on grading papers."

"Thanks. I would like to take Elizabeth on a picnic today. Would you be able to get a basket together for us?"

"Of course, Jack. It's a great day for a picnic. Unseasonably warm" She commented just as Elizabeth started down the stairs.

"I thought I heard you down here, Jack." Elizabeth walked over to him and gave him a kiss on the check. She stood on her toes and whispered in his ear. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." He replied back as he swept his arm around her waist. "Would you like to join me on a picnic this afternoon?"

Elizabeth's eyes lit up her face. "I would love to, Jack."

Jack grinned. "I will come by for you around one. Is that ok?"

"Perfect."

"I am going to do some work at the jail. See you later." He pulled her in for a hug. "I love you." He whispered in her ear.

"I love you, too." She kissed his cheek again, then watched him leave. She turned back to Abigail and was about to ask her something.

"Don't worry about the food. I am going to make a basket for you."

"Thanks, Abigail. I am going back upstairs to try and get some work done." She walked back up to her room but instead of going to her desk she went to her closet to pick out a dress to wear. She finally selected a blue dress that really brought out the color of her eyes. Knowing she wasn't going to be able to concentrate on school work, she pulled out her journal and began writing. She had this feeling that something big was going to happen on their picnic.

Jack wanted to get some work done but he just couldn't concentrate. He kept day dreaming about how he was going to propose. Finally he got up from his desk and decided to get dressed. It was only noon time but maybe she would want to go on their picnic a little early. He thought about putting on his suit but he wondered if Elizabeth would guess what he was planning so he decided on just wearing his regular clothes. He patted Rip on the head, told him to be good then walked out of the jail. As he approached the café, he noticed Elizabeth was sitting on the swing. He quickened his pace and walked up the steps. "Hi, Elizabeth." He said as he sat down on the swing. "You look beautiful." Her blue eyes were even more vivid because of the color of her dress. How he loved those sparkling blue eyes.

"Thank you, Jack. You look very handsome today." He grinned at her, making her heart melt when she saw his dimples.

Jack noticed the basket sitting on the swing next to Elizabeth. "Are you ready to go?" He stood up and extended his hand out to her.

"Yes I am." She accepted his hand. They began walking to the lake, their favorite place to picnic and talk.

Jack was nervous the entire walk to the lake. His mind was going into overload trying to think of the best way to propose. He finally decided to just ask her from his heart. When they arrived at their favorite spot, Jack spread out the blanket he had brought with him, then helped Elizabeth sit down. Elizabeth started to take the food out of the basket when Jack put his hand on hers to stop her.

"Jack? Is something wrong?" She looked at him, concern etched out on her face.

Jack took a deep breath. "No, nothing is wrong. I want to talk with you first."

"All right. What do you want to talk about?"

Jack took another deep breath. "Elizabeth, I have been doing a lot of thinking since we had our talk in the mine the other day. I know we have had our differences and obstacles but we have solved them together and come out stronger on the other side."

"I agree, Jack. I have loved you for a long time and my love for you has grown just in the few days since our talk in the mine." She smiled at him, then leaned over to kiss him. When they parted, both of them were breathing heavy and trying to calm their racing hearts.

"I feel the same way, Elizabeth. I love you with all my heart and I only see that love growing in the years to come." Jack swallowed hard, then shifted so he was on one knee and pulled out the ring box. Elizabeth gasped when she realized what he was doing. "Elizabeth, I love you so much. I can't picture my life without you in it. What I see in the future is us together, in a home I build for us with a little girl and a little boy filling our hearts with more love. Elizabeth Thatcher, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He looked into her gorgeous blue eyes, seeing tears in them. As they began to fall, he reached up and wiped them off her cheeks.

"Jack Thornton, I love you with every fiber of my being. I also can't see a life without you in it." She paused and put her hands on either side of Jack's face. She looked into his eyes and saw a tear slid down his cheek. "I see the same things you do, a cozy home and children running around. Jack, I love you and would love to be your wife."

Jack let out a big breath he didn't realize he was holding while he waited for her answer. Jack took her hands and stood up. He reached a hand behind her head and gently pulled it closer to him. He kissed her with a new passion never of them had experienced before. He hand his fingers through her hair, enjoying the silky soft feeling of it. When they parted, they grinned at each other. Jack lifted her hand to his lips and then realized he hand not put the ring on her finger. He had set the box down on the blanket in his exuberance. "Hold on, Sweetheart." He told her has he bent down to get the ring. He pulled it out of the box and slid it on her finger, kissing it when it was on. "I love you, Sweetheart." He whispered, then kissed her again.

Elizabeth felt like she was floating on a cloud with only Jack with her. She glanced down at the ring; it was beautiful. It then dawned on her what he had just called her, twice. "Did you just call me, Sweetheart?"

"Yes, I did. Are you ok with that?"

"I love it, Honey."

Jack grinned at her name for him. It was so simple and so perfect. He took her hand and helped her sit down again. He put his hand on her cheek. "My Elizabeth. My Sweetheart. I love you, so much."

"I love you too."

"I suppose we should eat."

"I guess but I am much too excited to eat."

"Me too. Should we talk about our future? Like when we would like to set the date and our home?"

"That sounds nice." She paused for a moment, trying to decide if she wanted to tell him something that might be a bit forward of her. "Jack? How do you feel about long engagements? I personally don't like them but if you want to build us a home, we might have to wait."

"I don't like long engagements either but I think I have a solution. How about we look into renting one of the row houses? That way we can get married sooner and I can build the house I want for us and our family."

"Jack, that's perfect!" She pulled him into a hug.

"Then it's settled. When would you like to get married?"

"How's Valentine's Day sound? I don't need a lot of time to plan anything because I want a simple wedding. I am sure Clara will make a dress for me and Abigail can make the food."

"That sound great to me but I have to ask. What about your family?"

She looked sad for a moment and he grabbed her hand to comfort her. "I don't think my parents are going to agree with me marrying you but I don't care. I'm very happy with you and living here in Hope Valley. I was never happy in Hamilton. I don't like the lifestyle. I could never see myself marrying Charles or someone like him. You are my best friend, the first person I want to talk to when something good happens and the person I want to comfort me when I am sad. You are the man I want to be my husband, best friend and partner for life. If my parents can't see that I am happy with you, then I will have to say goodbye to them."

Jack had tears falling down his cheeks as she spoke. He loved this woman so much and she just made him love her even more. He pulled her into his arms and just held her. "Elizabeth that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." He kissed her again.

"I meant ever word."

"I know you did. I love you." They held each a little longer. "Would you like to take a ride to see the land I have in mind for our home? We could go tomorrow after church. Maybe have another picnic."

"I would love to."

"Great. I also have some ideas sketched out on paper for the house. I will bring them with us. I want your ideas too. I can change anything you want."

"I can't wait to see them. I do have one request now if you haven't thought of it yet. I would like a wraparound porch and a swing."

"Already done, Sweetheart. I was also thinking about some rocking chairs to put on one side of the porch."

"I like that idea." She kissed him. "I'm getting hungry. We should eat the delicious lunch Abigail packed us."

"I am too." He reached for the basket and began pulling out food. They sat there sneaking looks at each other while they were eating. After lunch, they walked around the lake for a while, talking about their future. When it got dark, they went back into town. They told Abigail, who was so excited for her friends. They had dinner with Abigail and filled her in on some of their plans. When it was time to say goodnight, Elizabeth and Jack had a hard time leaving each other. They had a final kiss, comforted with the knowledge that soon, they wouldn't have to leave each other at night.

The rest of the weekend went by quickly. Elizabeth loved the piece of land Jack had in mind. She was amazed with his sketches and approved of everything he thought of. They said goodnight early because they both had work to do, work they had neglected in their excitement over the wedding. Before he left, Jack mentioned that he had a busy day and would not be able to walk her school. He wasn't sure he would be able to walk her home either but promised he would be back in time for dinner in the café. He said if he could get back in time, he would see her home.

Elizabeth thought the day was going by so slowly. She had talked to Clara on Sunday about making her a dress and Clara said she could have some ideas ready for her to look at after school. All Elizabeth wanted was for the school day to end so she could meet Clara and then have dinner with Jack. Finally, it was 3pm; she dismissed the students then stayed behind to get some papers corrected. She wasn't meeting Clara until 4. 30 minutes later, she heard the door open. Thinking Jack had made it home earlier than he thought, she stood up and started walking down the aisle. She was shocked to see Charles enter the school room.

"Charles, what are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked him as alarm spread through her body. Not knowing how he would react if he saw her engagement ring given how he reacted to her wanting to remain friends, she hid her left hand with her right and waited for him to respond.

"Elizabeth, I'm here to discuss the future, our future." He tried to reach for her hand but she stepped back from him. "Elizabeth, I love you. I know I can provide you with all the things you could ever want in life and we could have a beautiful family." He got down on one knee and pulled out a ring. Elizabeth shook her head at him and murmured no to him several times, but he either didn't hear her or was ignoring her. "Elizabeth Thatcher, will you marry me?" He looked up at with a huge smile on his face.

Elizabeth let out a sign and frowned at him. "Charles, do you even remember the conversation we had when I was in Hamilton? I told you I don't feel that way about you. I only think of you as a friend or a brother."

"That doesn't matter to me, Elizabeth. Once we marry you could learn to love me."

"No, I can't Charles. I can't and won't marry you. We aren't meant to have that kind of life. If we were, I never would have left Hamilton. I wouldn't have gone to college to earn my teaching degree. My dreams have always been to leave Hamilton and teach in a town in the west, just like my Aunt Elizabeth. I am very happy living here. I love my students, the people I am very proud to call my friends and I love Jack. In fact, Jack and I getting married in February." She showed him the ring.

Charles looked devastated, then angry. "Elizabeth, you can't be serious. How can you marry that Mountie and stay here? This job was only supposed to be temporary. You were supposed to return home and take your place in Hamilton society. Your father will never approve of you marrying him. He sent me out here to bring you home."

Elizabeth heard disgust in his voice. "No, Charles. I am not leaving here and you can't force me to. This is where I belong. I have everything I want in life right here. The sooner you and my father realize that, the better."

Charles stood up from the floor. "How can you say that? This town is nothing. There are no hotels, no 4 star restaurant, no museums or concert halls. You must be bored out of your mind with nothing to do here. Come to your senses Elizabeth and come home to Hamilton, where you belong."

"My senses are perfectly fine, Charles Kensington. There is more to life than just going to the opera and having dinner in a fancy restaurant. I have never loved those things. You would know that if you really paid attention to me instead of just thinking of me as some pretty lady to have on your arm. That's all you want from me Charles. You don't love me. You love the idea of having William Thatcher's daughter on your arm."

As soon as the words were out, she felt him slap her across her face. She fell backwards and landed on the floor with a loud thud. As she brought her hand to her face to touch where he had hit her, she saw him coming towards her with a look on his face she had never seen before. He looked crazy and it scared her. She scrambled away from him, trying to get to the back door but he was too fast for her. He grabbed her legs and pulled her back. She screamed as he pulled her up from the floor by her arms; she was sure he was leaving bruises. "Charles, let me go! You're hurting me!" She tried as hard as she could to free herself but he just held on tighter. "Charles! What is the matter with you? Stop it! Please! Help! Someone please help me!" She screamed with all her might hoping someone one would hear her. She started sobbing from the pain and fear.

Suddenly, Charles was pulled off of her and thrown across the room. She crawled over to the corner of the room and curled up in a ball, squeezing her eyes shut. She heard sounds of fighting all around her but she was too afraid to open her eyes. She thought she heard Jack's voice but she wasn't sure. She heard someone being thrown into one of the desks and then there was silence. She was still too scared to open her eyes until she felt familiar arms gently pull her into an embrace. "Jack?" She said, her voice wavering as a fresh set of tears started falling down her cheeks. She was still shaking in fear.

"Yes, Sweetheart, it's me." He whispered in her ear as he began rocking her back and forth. "I'm here, Sweetheart. He won't ever hurt you again. I love you." He continued to hold her in his arms until her sobs died down. She lifted her head to look at him and he felt anger once again pulse through him when he saw her bruise eye and cheek. He carefully wiped away her tears as he didn't want to hurt her. "If I help you, do you think you can stand up?"

"I'm not sure. My legs hurt from where he dragged me across the floor."

Jack was trying very hard not to get even angrier than he already was. What else did Charles do to his Sweet Elizabeth? "Give me your hands." He picked her up and carried her outside to one of the benches outside the school. He wanted to ask her what had happened with Charles but also wanted to get her out of the school room. He had handcuffed Charles after he had knocked him unconscious. "Do you feel up to telling me what happened?" He reached over to caress her face.

"I think so." She took a shaky breath then let it out. "He came here to propose Jack."

"What?"

"He told me he loves me then asked me to marry him." She told Jack everything that had just happened. Jack wanted to kill him. How could Charles claim to love Elizabeth and then proceed to hurt her like that? He held back his rage, because he needed to focus on Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth, I am going to take you back to town. I need to document your injuries for the report I am going to fill out. Once you are settled in the café, I am going to come back here to get him."

"No, Jack. I don't want you to leave me, even if it's for a short time. Let's bring him now, together. Please don't leave me alone."

He looked into her face and saw the fear she had experience. He couldn't say no to her. "Are you sure?" He wanted to check with her again.

"Yes, Jack. I am. I just want you to be with me as long as you can today. I need to feel your arms around me." She felt a tear slid down her cheek.

Jack wiped away the tear, then spotted Adam Miller walking up to the school. "Adam? May I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure Jack. Is everything alright?" He saw Elizabeth's face and realized something was wrong.

"I need your help. Elizabeth was attacked by Charles Kensington. I have him handcuffed inside. Would you help me bring him to town? I need to help Elizabeth."

"Of course, Jack."

"Elizabeth, I am going to leave you here for just a couple of minutes while I get Charles. Then I will be back to help you into town"

"All right." She whispered.

When Jack returned, he helped her stand but her left foot gave out under her and she cried out in pain. Jack looked at it and realized Charles must have twisted her angle while he was dragging her across the floor. He picked her up and helped her get settled on his horse, then he hopped on behind her. He put his arms tightly around her waist to keep her from falling off. He could feel her crying the whole way back to town. He was so worried about her and so angry at Charles. He prayed that Elizabeth would be able to recover from the attack and he vowed he would be with her every step of the way.

 _ **Sorry to have such a dramatic first chapter but don't worry. I have a plan in mind that will showcase Jack and Elizabeth's love and devotion for each other and how they can overcome anything together**_.


	2. Chapter 2

As they made their way to town, Jack could feel people staring at them, wondering what had happened to Elizabeth. He just kept on going down the street to the jail. As he got closer, he saw a Mountie sitting on the chair on the jail porch. The man stood up when he saw Jack.

"Constable Thornton, I'm Constable Sullivan. I am on my way back to Toronto from Vancouver and thought I would stop by here for the night. Do you need some help?" He nodded towards Adam who still had a hold of Charles.

Jack held up one finger to the visiting Constable, letting him know he would talk to him in a minute. Then he carefully helped Elizabeth over to the chair. "Nice to meet you, Constable Sullivan. Yes, I could use your assistance. This man, Charles Kensington of Hamilton, attacked Miss Thatcher, my fiancée. Would you be able to watch him tonight in the jail? I need to get her to the doctor and have her injuries looked at."

"Of course. If you want, I can take him to the jail in Medicine Hat tomorrow. I am going to be out that way."

"That would be wonderful. Thank you so much. Thanks again Adam." He went to get Elizabeth and decided to bring her to the café, then send for Dr. Matthews. When he walked through the back door of the café with Elizabeth in his arms, Abigail and Cat, who had been enjoying a cup of tea, rushed towards him.

"Jack, what happened?" Abigail asked with concern in her voice.

"It's a long story. Charles attacked her when she turned down his marriage proposal." He headed for the stairs to take Elizabeth to her room.

"He did what?" Abigail questioned with a dark tone to her voice, making Jack glance over his shoulder in surprise. He never heard her sound that mad before. When they reached the top of the stairs, Abigail hurried in front of Jack to open the door to Elizabeth's room.

Jack gently laid her on the bed and stroked her uninjured cheek. He leaned down to kiss her. "I'm going to get Dr. Matthews now." He tried to walk away but she grabbed his arm, pulling him back to her side. When he looked at her face, he saw her eyes pleading with him to stay.

"Jack, I will go get Dr. Matthews for you." Cat offered.

"Thank you, Cat."

"Elizabeth, do you think you will be ok for a few minutes if Jack leaves the room so I can help you get into a nightgown?" Abigail inquired.

Elizabeth nodded her head. "Yes." She whispered.

Jack leaned down to kiss her again. "I will be right outside, Sweetheart. I love you!"

"I love you, too." Jack stepped out into the hallway and closed the door. Now that he wasn't concentrating on getting help for Elizabeth, he began thinking about what Charles had done. Jack paced the floor while he waited, his hands clenched into fists, thinking about how much he wanted to go to the jail and kill Charles Kensington. Suddenly he stopped, knowing he couldn't let his anger get the better of him. Elizabeth needed him to be strong. Instead of pacing, Jack bowed his head and prayed. He prayed for guidance for both himself and Elizabeth. He prayed that he would be able to get over the anger he was feeling and concentrate on Elizabeth's needs. He prayed that Elizabeth would not be too traumatized.

Abigail carefully helped Elizabeth stand up and got her changed. Abigail was shocked by the bruises Charles has left on Elizabeth's body. She hoped she hadn't let on how shocked she was. Once she had Elizabeth dressed again, she opened the door to allow Jack back in. Jack rushed to her side as Abigail shut the door behind them. He sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up one of her hands, bringing it to his lips. She gave him a faint smile.

"How are you doing, Sweetheart?"

"Still sore, still in shock about what happened. I have never seen Charles like that before. Such anger…" She trailed off as she began to cry again. Jack gently pulled her into his arms and let her cry on his shoulder. He rubbed her back and whispered in her ear how much he loved her.

"I won't ever let him hurt you again. I promise you that." He started rocking her, hoping that the movement would calm her down. It seemed to be working because after a few minutes she pulled back from him and looked at his face.

"Jack, thank you for rescuing me."

"Always, Elizabeth. I will always come to your aid. I had come home earlier than I originally thought. I wanted to get cleaned up before meeting you for dinner. I walked into the café to see if you were back and Clara told me you never showed for your meeting with her. When she told me that, something told me you needed my help. I heard your screams as I approached the school house." He had to stop, he was so shaken by what had happened. Tears slid down his cheeks. Elizabeth brought her hand to his face and wiped them away. That helped him regain composure. "I ran as fast as I could to help you. It took every ounce of courage not to kill him with my bare hands." He pulled her back into his arms because he needed to hold her. He had been so scared that Charles was going to kill her. He was about to say something else to her when they heard a knock to on the door. Jack got up and opened the door. "Dr. Matthews, thank you for coming."

"Of course, Jack." They both walked over to Elizabeth's bed. "I'm very sorry that this happened to you, Elizabeth." Dr. Matthews told her.

"Thank you."

"Now, Elizabeth. Tell me what is hurting."

"What hurts the most is my left ankle. I don't remember him twisting it but he dragged me around the room by my legs so it is possible. I have bruises on my legs as well as my arms and ribs." Jack's head snapped up when she mentioned her ribs. He didn't know she had been hit there.

"Jack, would you step outside please while I examine Elizabeth?"

Jack hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave her but knowing it wouldn't be proper to be in the room with her during the exam. He looked at her face and she nodded, letting him know she would be ok without him. "Would you like me to send Abigail in here?"

"Yes, please."

He leaned down to kiss her forehead, then left the room. He found Abigail in the hallway. "Elizabeth would like for you to come sit with her while Dr. Matthews is examining her."

"Of course, Jack." After Abigail went back to Elizabeth's room, Jack started pacing again, this time his mind was solely on Elizabeth and her injuries. He was so worried about her, not just about her physically but emotionally as well. This would be hard for her. He vowed to be strong for her and to love her with his whole heart. He heard the door open and Dr. Matthews came out. "How is she?" Jack inquired.

"She has a twisted ankle and bruised ribs. Her arms and legs are going to be sore from the bruises as well. I wrapped her ankle and I am going back to my office for crutches. She needs to rest for several days to allow her ribs and ankle to heal."

Jack nervously twisted his hands together as he listened to what Dr. Matthews had to say. "All right, I will make sure she rests."

"Good. She will overcome this, I'm sure, with your help and all her friends supporting her."

"Yes she will. Elizabeth is strong. It's one of the things I love most about her."

Dr. Matthews smiled. "You can go on in to see her. I will be back in a few minutes with the crutches."

"Thank you." Jack moved towards Elizabeth's room and walked in. Abigail got up from sitting beside Elizabeth and left the room. "How are you doing, Sweetheart?"

"I'm better now that you are here." She said as she smiled at him. She patted the bed next to her, inviting him to sit down.

Jack happily sat down next to her. He took her hand in his and brought to his lips. "I hear you need to rest for a few days."

"Yes, but even though I will miss teaching and my students, I feel it is better that I take a few days off. I need time to come to terms with what Charles did as well as rest my injuries. I realized when Dr. Matthews was examining me that I will need to contact Father about Charles."

"Right. You told me your father asked Charles to bring you back to Hamilton. Now Charles won't be returning either. I can help you write a telegram in the morning, if you want."

"I think I just want to keep it short in the telegram; just tell Father that Charles won't be returning to Hamilton and that I will send a letter to explain why. Telling my father I was attacked by Charles in a telegram doesn't seem fair."

"You're right. I know if I was a parent and that was my daughter, I wouldn't want to hear it that way."

"I might get started on the letter tonight. I'm exhausted but I don't think I can sleep. I can't get the image of Charles coming at me out of my mind." As soon as the words were out, she broke down again.

Jack's heart ached for her and the physical and emotional pain she was feeling. He moved closer to her and pulled her into his arms. He rocked her again, since it seemed to work before. "Let it out, Sweetheart. Don't hold anything in. I'm here for you. I love you so much."

"Jack?"

Jack looked up to see Abigail, who had the crutches in her hands. "Oh good, Dr. Matthews brought over the crutches."

"Yes. Jack, I was thinking. Elizabeth is going to need you tonight but it wouldn't be proper for you to sleep in her bed with her. I don't have a problem if you would like to sleep on the cot I have so you can be with her tonight."

Elizabeth pulled out of Jack's embrace and sent a look of gratitude to Abigail. "Jack, would you please?"

"Of course, I will. I don't want to leave you tonight."

"Thank you, Jack."

"I should go back to the jail and get a change of clothes and then I can set up the cot in here."

"Jack, I still have some of Noah's things that will fit you. You are about the same size as Noah."

"Thank you, Abigail. I appreciate that."

"You're welcome. The cot is in the closet down the hall. If you could take care of getting it set up, I will get you the clothes."

"Thank you, Abigail. You're the best. I really appreciate you letting Jack sleep in here tonight."

"I trust you both and besides I don't think you would feel up to doing anything inappropriate."

"You're right. I don't feel like doing anything like that."

Jack nodded in agreement. "I am going to get the cot and get things set up. Why don't you lie down and see if you can rest. I will be back soon."

"Ok, Jack. I love you."

Jack leaned down to kiss her. "I love you, too." He followed Abigail into the hall to get the cot. When he returned, it looked like Elizabeth was asleep, so as quietly as he could, he set the cot up, then accepted the clothes Abigail had given him and went to the bathroom to change. He crawled onto the cot and closed his eyes, but all he see what Charles attacking Elizabeth. He heard Elizabeth moaning from her bed but she didn't wake up. It was going to be a long night.

Eventually Jack fell asleep but was awoken a few hours later to Elizabeth screaming. "Stop it, Charles! You're hurting me! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Jack jumped up and went to her side. "Elizabeth, Sweetheart. Wake up." Elizabeth kept yelling and she began to slap his hands. "Elizabeth. Wake up, please." He pleaded. Suddenly she opened her eyes and when she saw Jack sitting there with a worried look on his handsome face, she began sobbing. Jack let go of her hands and pulled her into his arms.

Elizabeth cried against his shoulder for what seemed like the hundredth time since Charles attacked her. "Jack, I was so scared. He came at me with a knife."

Jack continued to hold her, rubbing her back and whispering in her ear. "It was just a dream, Sweetheart. I won't let him get to you, I promise."

Elizabeth pulled back from his embrace and wiped the tears from her eyes. "No. I am not doing this anymore. I have cried more than enough over Charles. He isn't worth it."

"I agree with you there but he put you through a lot. It's going to take time for you to heal, physically and emotionally. If you need to let go, you should. I will always be there for you."

"I know you will be, Honey. I love you." She leaned in to kiss him, slow and sweet.

When they parted, Jack put his forehead against hers, not wanting to sever contact from her. When he finally pulled away, he looked deep into her beautiful blue eyes, so full of love. "I love you too, so much." He whispered.

"Jack, I think I can go back to sleep now." She yawned as she said the last word.

"Of course. You need rest to help you heal." Jack helped Elizabeth get settled in bed and tucked the blankets around her. "Sleep well, Sweetheart. Wake me if you have any problems sleeping."

"I hope I don't have to but I promise I will if I need you." She smiled at him and he could see the light coming back into her eyes, the first time he had seen this light since he found her in the school house. He took it as a good sign that she was coming to terms with what happened. He leaned down and kissed her then went back to his cot.

The next morning, Jack woke up to the sound of Elizabeth calling his name and telling him she loved him. It was a sweet sound and he felt his heart swell with love and happiness. He opened his eyes to see her lying on her side her eyes shining all that she felt for him. He got out of bed and helped her sit up, then sat down next to her. "I love you too, Sweetheart. How are you feeling?"

"A bit like I did when I was a girl and our dog was so excited to see me that she pushed me to the ground and stepped all over me, trying to lick my face." Jack smiled at her story. "She was a golden retriever named Goldie. I loved her."

"I can see that. Do you need anything? Are you hungry?"

"Yes I am but I don't feel much like getting out of bed."

"Not a problem. I was already planning on having Abigail put a tray together." Just then there was a knock on her door. Jack walked over to answer it. "Hi Abigail. Your ears must be burning. I was just talking about you."

"Oh really? It's all true I hope."

"Of course." They all laughed.

Abigail walked over to Elizabeth's bed. "I came to see how you are doing."

"I'm sore but that's to be expected."

"Are you hungry? I get make you some breakfast and bring it up here on a tray."

"That would be great. Whatever you have cooking will be fine. I'm not fussy this morning."

"OK, see you in a few." Abigail left then room.

"Elizabeth would you be fine for a few minutes while I go to the jail to change and talk to the Constable about Charles?"

"Yes but would you stay long enough for me to write out what I want to say in the telegram to my father?"

"Of course. I will take it to Mr. Yost after I check in at the jail."

"Thank you." Jack brought her some paper and she wrote down the message. He kissed her, promising to be back as quickly as he could. "Maybe when I come back, we can discuss some wedding plans."

"I'd like that. I love you, Honey."

"I love you too, Sweetheart. I will be back as soon as I can." He paused for a moment in her door way to look back at her. He smiled, blew her a kiss and left.

In Hamilton, William Thatcher was sitting at his desk in his office. He was working on reading contracts when his mind started to wander about Elizabeth. He was looking forward to having his Beth home where she belonged. Soon she would be married to Charles and maybe within a year, make him a grandfather. He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear his secretary telling him he had a telegram.

"Mr. Thatcher?" Mr. Thatcher?"

William shook himself out of his thoughts. "Oh, Susan. I asked not to be disturbed."

"I'm sorry but a telegram just arrived for you. It's from Hope Valley. I thought you would want to see it right away."

"Yes I would. Thank you for bringing it in to me." William smiled as he took the envelope. He was sure it said Elizabeth accepted the marriage proposal and was coming home. He opened it up and began to read it:

 _ **Father,**_

 _ **I have some bad news for you.**_

 _ **Charles was arrested and is being take to the prison in Medicine Hat.**_

 _ **A letter will follow explaining what happened.**_

 _ **Love,**_

 _ **Beth.**_

William stared at the telegram for several minutes, wondering what Charles could have done to deserve getting arrested and thrown in jail. He wondered if that Mountie had set Charles up and not in the way of his relationship with Elizabeth. He decided he didn't want to wait for her letter. He needed to investigate what was going on. He grabbed his coat and walked out of his office. He told Susan he would be away for a while, then went home to tell Grace and pack his bags. He would get to the bottom of this and bring Elizabeth home while he was at it.

Next Chapter: William's visit and his reaction to what Charles did to Elizabeth. Will he accept Elizabeth and Jack's engagement?


	3. Chapter 3

Elizabeth spent the next few days mostly in her room, resting her ankle and her ribs. She found when she tried to use the crutches, her ribs hurt even more. Even though she was going a bit stir crazy in her room, she knew it was for the best. Jack would do his rounds early, then come back and spend the rest of the day with her. They planned their wedding, read books out loud to each other and often held each other. Abigail would bring dinner up for them and would keep Elizabeth company when Jack had to work.

On Elizabeth's first day venturing downstairs, Jack was there bright and early to help her. She moved well considering her sore ankle. When Jack stopped at the table in the kitchen, Elizabeth protested.

"Jack, please take me outside. I miss the fresh air and sitting with you on the swing."

"Of course. I miss that too." He grabbed her coat and helped her get it on. Then they got settled on the swing.

"This feels nice." Elizabeth whispered as she laid her head on Jack's shoulder.

"It is." He pulled her closer to him, enjoying the feel of her body next to his. They sat there for several minutes, just enjoying each other's company when they heard the stage coming into town.

Elizabeth lifted her head and watched the stage come to a stop and passengers get out. The last man to exit looked familiar. "Oh no." She said out loud.

"What is it, Elizabeth?"

"My father."

Jack followed her eyes and saw Mr. Thatcher standing in the street looking around. He glanced in their direction and noticed his daughter and the Mountie on the swing.

Elizabeth stood from the swing and grabbed her crutches, then walked to meet her father at the porch stairs. "Hello, Father." She wanted to ask him why he came when she said she was going to send a letter, but knew this wasn't the time or place.

"Beth! What happened?" He sent Jack a nasty look as if he thought Jack had beaten her.

"Father, don't look at Jack that way. He rescued me, from Charles." She informed him.

"What? Is this why Charles was arrested? He assaulted you?"

"Father, let's go into the café. Abigail will let us sit in her living room so we can have privacy."

"All right, that sounds good. Constable, come with us, please."

Jack and Elizabeth looked at each other, surprised that William wanted to talk to Jack too. "Of course." Jack told him.

A few minutes later, they were sitting in the living, sipping coffee that Abigail had provided them. "Beth, please tell me what happened."

"Father, as I am sure you know, Charles came here to propose to me and bring me back to Hamilton, neither of which I want." She saw her father about to speak. "Father let me finish. I turned down the proposal because I am not in love with Charles and I have no plans to ever return to Hamilton except to visit you. My life is here with my students, the people in this town and most importantly, with Jack. I love Jack, Father and he asked me to marry him two days before Charles arrived. I said yes." She held out her hand to show William her ring and then waited for him to explode. She was surprised when he just sat there, looking from her hand, to her face and then to Jack.

"I'm sure there is more to this story, Elizabeth Alexandra. Please continue."

Elizabeth sat up straighter in her chair. She glanced quickly at Jack and then back to her father. Father only called her that when he was mad at her for something. "I tried to turn Charles down gently but he was having none of it. We argued and he kept getting angrier. The way he was acting made me think he only wanted me to be his wife because he wanted to the prestige of being married to one of William Thatcher's daughter. After I told him that, he slapped me across the face, giving me this lovely bruise. I tried to get away from him by crawling away but he was too fast for me. He dragged me back to him by grabbing my legs and twisting my ankle. He grabbed my arms and left more bruises. He hit me in my midsection and bruised my ribs. I thought he was going to kill me, then Jack came in and rescued me. Jack pulled Charles off of me; they fought for a while before Jack was able to contain him and handcuff him."

William looked angry. He didn't say anything for several moments; he just stared off into space with a glare in his eyes. Finally he looked back at Elizabeth, seeing the bruise on her beautiful face and he couldn't believe that he ever trusted Charles Kensington. He was glad Jack has arrested him because if he ever found Charles, he would kill Charles for ever laying a hand on his daughter.

Jack could almost guess what was running through William's mind. "Mr. Thatcher? I don't know if this helps you feel better, but I hit Charles more times than I should have, because I was so furious with him. I hate men that beat the women that they claim to love. It was worse for me because he hurt the woman I love most in this world, your beautiful daughter." He paused for a moment to wipe a tear from his eye." If you want the truth, I wanted to kill him but I couldn't do that given I am a Mountie. If another Mountie hadn't come through town that day and offered to take Charles to prison, I may have changed my mind, but I knew I had to concentrate on Elizabeth's needs. She was very shook up, as you can imagine, and needed my support to help her though."

"Thank you, Jack. Thank you for loving my daughter and taking care of her." He reached his hand out to Jack, wanting to shake his hand. Jack accepted it, but was wondering what was going on. "Beth, I'm sorry I was so stubborn and set in my ways that I didn't see the confident, independent, mature woman you have become. I can see in your face how much you love Hope Valley. I'm also sorry for not seeing the love and respect you and Jack have for each other."

Elizabeth stared at her father in disbelief. "Father? What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you and Jack have my blessing to get married." He smiled at his daughter and her fiancée.

"What? Father, you are fine with Jack and me getting married?"

"Yes, I am. I have seen with my own eyes how much Jack loves. I know he will love and protect you for the rest of your lives. I was foolish to not see that love when you were visiting Hamilton a few weeks ago."

Elizabeth jumped up from the sofa, forgetting her ankle and tried to go hug her father. As soon as she stepped down on her ankle, she started to fall over in pain, but Jack was right there and he caught her. William had gotten up too and he moved closer to his daughter. They hugged and cried.

"Father, thank you so much for realizing I belong here with Jack. I love you."

"My Beth, my Sweet Beth. I love you too. I can't believe I have two daughters about to be married." He motioned for them to sit back down so Elizabeth could rest. "So, tell me. Do you have any plans made yet?"

"We decided to get married on Valentine's Day."

"You mean this Valentine's Day?"

"Yes, Father. We want to have a small intimate wedding, here in Hope Valley and to be honest, I wasn't sure you and Mother would attend. I'm sorry." Tears filled her eyes.

"Beth, it's all right. I don't blame you for thinking that given how I have acted in the past about you and Jack as a couple. Valentine's Day is fine for you wedding. Sounds very romantic."

"Thank you, Father."

"Do you have an idea of where you will live after the wedding? I can't imagine you living here together or in the jail." He laughed, knowing how silly living in the jail would be.

"Mr. Thatcher, I plan to build us a house on a piece of land I purchased. Until it's ready we are going to rent one of the row houses."

"Jack, please call me William." Jack nodded. "Would you be able to show me the land as well as the row house?"

"Of course we can, William. How about we get you settled in the saloon and then I can get a buggy so we can all go out to the land."

"The saloon?"

"Yes, Father. Hope Valley doesn't have a hotel but there are rooms to rent above the saloon."

"All right. I suppose the saloon it is."

"I don't mean to interrupt." All three looked up to see Abigail. "If you don't want to stay in the saloon and if Elizabeth doesn't mind, how about you stay in her room and Elizabeth can stay with me in my room."

Elizabeth smiled, nodding her head in agreement. "I don't mind at all, Father. You would be more comfortable in my room."

"Yes, that does sound better. Thank you both."

"Elizabeth, you go get your father settled and I'll get the buggy. Meet you back here in a half an hour?"

"Yes, Jack. That sounds perfect." She gave Jack a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned to her father. "Follow me, Father."

William stood, grabbed the crutches and handed them to his daughter. "Do you need any help getting to your room?"

"No, thank you. I am getting used to moving with the crutches." William grabbed his suitcase and followed his daughter up the steps. "Here's my room."

William looked around when he stepped in. "This is nice, Beth. Very cozy but I must ask. How do you handle smelling that delicious food? I just want to run downstairs and eat."

Elizabeth laughed. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh. It was hard in the beginning. I did gain a few pounds but I learned to eat in moderation."

"That's great, Beth. It's good to have willpower." He said as he placed his suitcase on the bed.

"The bottom drawer is empty, Father if you want to put some of your things in it." She went to the dresser to grab some of her personal belongings. "How long do you plan on staying? I'd love to get a chance to show around the town."

"I plan to stay for a week or so. I want to discuss some business with Lee Coulter plus I would like to get to know Jack better. I understand he built the schoolhouse for you."

Elizabeth felt her face turn pink. "Well he was given reward money for capturing the Tolliver gang so he donated it to the town to build the school, which is also our church. He helped to get it built."

"He may not have built the whole building for you but he had the idea to get it done. That shows how much he loves you. I should have seen that love he had for you."

Elizabeth hobbled over to him. "Daddy, that doesn't matter anymore. You apologized and gave your blessing for us to get married. You want to get to know him. That's what counts, not what happened in the past. I love you, Daddy." She gave him a big hug.

He returned her hug with tears in his eyes. "Beth, it's been a long time since you called me Daddy. I have to say I missed hearing it."

"I miss calling you that too. I always thought that when I became an adult I should start calling you Father. That it was more mature. Somehow though, it never felt right."

"You can call me Daddy as long as you want, My Sweet Beth."

They hugged a few more minutes until they heard a knock on the door. They looked up and saw Jack.  
"I'm sorry to interrupt. Do you need a few more minutes to talk? I can wait downstairs for you."

"I think we are all set, aren't we Beth?"

"Yes, Daddy. I'm ready to go."

In a few minutes they were settled in the buggy. "William, I thought I would take us to the school house first, then go to the land I purchased for our home."

"Beth and I were just talking about the school. I would like to see it. Do you plan on getting married there?"

"Yes, Daddy. "

"Good. I know your mother will be happy. You know how much she loves church weddings."

The trio pulled up to the school and got out of the buggy. William watched as Jack helped Elizabeth out of the buggy and up the stairs of the building. William took note of how attentive Jack was with his daughter. He liked what he was seeing. Once inside the school, William looked around; he noticed how Elizabeth had put her personal touch on the room with both the school and church in mind. He felt his heart swell with pride over what his little girl had become.

"Daddy?" He was brought out of his trance when Elizabeth called to him.

"I'm sorry, Beth. What were you saying?"

"Dr. Matthews said I should be able to return to work on Monday. I was wondering if you would like to come with me to school and maybe talk to the students about what you do."

"I would love to, Beth. It will give me a chance to see you in action as a school teacher."

Elizabeth blushed. "I'd like that." She looked towards Jack. "Should we go to our land now?" Jack nodded and they walked out of the school. Soon they had arrived at the land.

William stepped out of the buggy and looked around. He was amazed by what he saw. There were mountains to the west and he could picture what they would look like at sunset. He turned in another direction and saw a pond with ducks and geese frolicking in the water. "Jack, this is a great piece of land. How did you find it?"

"Thank you. I came across it when I was looking for a place for the school. I think back then I was already planning to marry Elizabeth and decided this land would be great for a house."

"It definitely is. Do you have some thoughts about what you want for your home?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I sketched some ideas out on paper and I am working with a man who will help me build the house. He helped with the school too. Would you like to see the plans?"

"I would, yes." The men walked off to look at the land some more while Elizabeth stayed near the buggy. Her ankle was starting to ache but she was too busy admiring the two most important men in her life getting along and getting to know each other. Her heart swelled with love for them both.


End file.
